Public Participation in International Forums
Second Meeting of Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums (Geneva, 9/10 November 2006)
15.11.2006 |Anke Stock
WECF took part in the second meeting of the Task Force on Public Participation in International Forums under the umbrella of the European Eco-forum. WECF is a member of the Eco-forum which is an open platform facilitating the co-operation of environmental NGOs in the framework of the Environment for Europe Process, of which the Aarhus Convention forms a part.
The Aarhus Convention was adopted in 1998. It is the first legally binding instrument guaranteeing access to information, public participation in decision-making and justice in environmental matters.
One obligation of the parties to the Aarhus Convention is to promote the application of the principles of the Convention in international environmental decision-making processes and within the framework of international organisations in matters relating to the environment (article 3(7) Aarhus Convention). In May 2005 at the second meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention in Almaty Guidelines on this issue were adopted. The aim of these Guidelines is to provide guidance to the parties on how to fulfil the obligation (see article 1 of the Guidelines).
Paragraph 6 of Decision II/4 establishes a Task Force which was due to meet for the first time on 24/25 November 2005 in Geneva. Its task was to enter into consultations regarding the Guidelines with the relevant international forums within the scope of these Guidelines. A work plan, a list of international forums and a questionnaire were adopted by the parties at the 6th Meeting of the Working Group of the Parties in the beginning of April this year.
In mid-July 2006, the consultation package was sent to the listed international forums to be invited to take part in the consultation process. The responses received are available online here.
The second Task Force meeting on 9 and 10 November 2006 looked at the results of the consultation process, planned the upcoming workshop on the issue and analysed the further steps to be taken. A detailed report will be available shortly here.
